I’ve never tried using Dark Transfer to heal so injuries that grave before. I’ve used my power before but the injuries I absorbed weren’t life-threatening for me or for the one who had them and on top of that I don’t know if I have a limit or I can just use it until I die. Will I be able to use Dark Transfer on Sya?

Even if I was scared to find the answer to my question I began healing Sya. Slowly her bones and internal wounds were beginning to heal. A kind of black mist could be seen coming from Sya’s body, possibly because of Dark Transfer. While her body was healing my body began to deteriorate: the left lung, the ribs and then the external damage. It looks like the grave wounds are healing first. A wound received as a result of Dark Transfer is as grave as it was on the other person even if my body is stronger and it hurts like hell. My pain tolerance was relatively high in my previous life and in this life it’s even higher but it’s a little too much for me.

“How is it?” Maria looked at me and asked me how was Sya’s condition.

“She’s fine. It will all be over in a few seconds.”

“I was talking about you, you are shaking.”

I am…shaking? I looked at my arms and abdomen and I noticed that I was indeed shaking…I don’t know when it started or even why. I know it’s not the pain, it’s something else. No matter what it is can wait until I’m done, healing Sya takes priority.

It took me almost five minutes to heal her, a process that should have taken a minute at most ended in five…Is there something wrong with me?

“NOOO!” Sya screamed after waking up.

“It’s all right, you are safe.” I told her.

Without saying anything Sya began checking for any sign of injury. It took her a while to realize that the injured one wasn’t her but me. When she realized her face became pale, she was shocked.

“Alex, what happened? Why are you injured? Why am I all right?”

“It’s magic. I told you that I’m special, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, but…How-“

“Elesya, Alex is injured, how about going back for now?”

“…ah, yes, sorry.”

Maria stopped Sya from asking any more questions. She didn’t look as concerned as Sya but I get the feeling that from the three of us she is the most shaken up and not only because of Sya but because of my current condition. She tried looking us in the eye but I could see her peeking at my lower abdomen. I was losing blood because of the wounds and Maria is scared that I may die.

Well, truthfully I wasn’t feeling that good. My head god heavier and I had trouble maintaining my balance even when sitting down. I really want to lie down but we are in a forest were monsters are present so I can’t afford to let my guard down.

“Let’s go back.”

The three of us went back to the school. Sya seemed to have recovered completely and seems like she calmed down a little. She is still a little shocked about what happened and so am I.

When we arrived Maria told me to follow her to the infirmary so she can treat my wounds. Besides healing potions the school had some ointments that could help. The ointments weren’t as strong as healing potions. The ointments are usually used for small wounds. No one in his right mind would use a health potion for some small wounds when there’s the risk of a grave injury.

The ointment itself was stored in a glass jar. It was a yellow, gooey substance. I don’t know why but the way the ointment was moving seemed wrong, it was creepy. On the other hand the smell was pleasant; it smelled like aloe and mint. I’m not sure how this ointment was made but at least it smells nice.

“OW!”

When Maria applied the ointment on my wounds I felt like I was stabbed. Usually these kinds of things sting at best but not this one. The area where the ointment was applied started heating up and I suddenly started itching. It felt a lot different than a nettle, it was worse, a lot worse and I want to scratch myself so bad.

“Ow, ow, it really stings.”

“You can’t do that.”

Before having a chance to try and scratch myself Maria immobilized me; she put my hands behind my back holding them with her right hand.

“I know that it hurts and it makes you want to scratch it but you have to endure it.”

“I know.”

I know that I’m supposed to stay put but holy fuck it stings. Usually my tolerance is pretty high so it’s likely that until the wounds I took from Sya heal that part of my body will be weaker than normal so an injury I transferred is more dangerous than one received directly, pretty shitty drawback now that I think about it.

“Aside from the obvious, how are you holding up?” Maria asked me.

[How am I holding up?], that’s a pretty good question, one that I can’t really answer since I have no idea how to feel about that.

“If I think about it I was the one at fault for letting that wolf ambush us.”

“I can only speculate but I think that Elesya was attacked by a pack leader. A pack leader is a monster which, in theory, is stronger than its followers combined.”

I don’t care if it was a pack leader or not, I should have detected it. No matter how I look at it it’s my fault for not keeping a close eye on my surroundings and on Sya. I was distracted by my own stupid ideas and that might have been the cause I didn’t notice that wolf.

“Whatever it was it was my responsibility. I brought her around with me and I let her down, it’s my fault she got injured. I was distracted and she paid the price.”

“It looks like despite your appearance you are still a kid inside. Listen now, when the three of us entered the forest we were aware of what was inside and even if we weren’t there is no need to blame only yourself for what happened. The three of us are equally responsible for what happened to Elesya. You said you were careless but if it were to point fingers the whole thing was ultimately my fault, I was supposed to take care of you.”

I see…That’s certainly another way to look at it.

“In an adventurer party the members have to take care of each other in order to survive. Every member is responsible for what happens to their party. No matter what happens you shouldn’t blame yourself, it’s not entirely your fault, we are all at fault. Truthfully if you weren’t there she would have died on the spot.”

While I am aware that if I weren’t there Sya would have died I still feel responsible for what happened. When I decided to take Sya along with us I knew that something similar might happen and I let it happen.

“I understand that but still…”

“So what now, are you going to get depressed again?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The last time you screwed up you got depressed and spent a lot in time feeling sorry for yourself. As a student you could pass all the tests without trying hard so staying locked up in a room wouldn’t really matter but that’s not how life works. If anything happens I’m here for you BUT if you plan on sinking in fake guilt I will not help you.”

As expected, she was angry at me and there’s nothing I can say, I’m not stupid or ignorant enough to deny the truth…I know too well that she is right but I still feel guilty. I am a human so I can’t be that rational and I’m not the type of man that is capable of saying something like [I will not let her get hurt again] because I know that it will be a lie, just like today.

“Today has been a bad day for us. I will let you get some rest and we will continue this tomorrow.”

“I don’t think that it will change anything but if that’s what you want then fine. Now stop moving while I bandage you.”

After bandaging me Maria left the infirmary. She was a little mad at me and I can’t say that she was wrong. Well, if that’s how she sees things there’s nothing I can do about it. For now I should rest and see what happens tomorrow.

I think that there’s something wrong with me. Yesterday I had a moral dilemma and yet I’ve slept so peacefully, sometimes I forget how easily I get over some things.

Since I was supposed to wait for Maria I spent some time just looking at the ceiling thinking about random stuff like video games and songs I listened to; I miss playing video games and listening to rap while lying down on the bed, those were some pretty good times.

After almost one hour of admiring the ceiling I hear the sound of footsteps. Since I can’t hear Maria’s footsteps I guess that someone else needs me for something. OK, it looks like I was half right, Maria did come and so did Sya…and she looked like she was about to cry.

“Are you all right?”

“I should be the one asking you that!”

“Calm down, you don’t need to be so angry.”

Even she doesn’t know what she fells. She looks angry and teary at the same time; she looked so strange even I can’t understand what she really wants.

“I can’t keep calm; you almost died to save me, that’s beyond insane!” Who the hell told her that I was about to die?

“Hear me out on this one; I wasn’t in any real danger. My body can recover as long as I’m not receiving damage in a particular place.”

“I don’t believe you, and even if that were true why go to such lengths to save me?”

“I didn’t go to any lengths to save you; I have been through far worse situations. Actually why are you being so negative all of a sudden?” Usually Sya is the definition of optimism, it’s quite strange.

“I was taught that in times of war the weak ones are getting left behind; I went out with you yesterday with this in mind. I thought that I will be able to pull my own weight but I was unable to do that, I’m really weak.”

“Yes, you are.”

Usually most of the people would disagree with her but the thought of agreeing with her just didn’t seem right. I tend to be honest with the people I like. There are times when I tell them some white lies but usually I am honest so people know what to expect when they talk to me, that’s why I can’t lie to her.

“So you both came to an agreement.” Maria butted in.

“I guess. We were distracted and you were too busy to take care of us, how does that sound?”

“That’s the truth. Have you decided what you want to do?”

“Huh?” Sya has no idea what Maria and I are talking about.

“Well, I tried thinking about it, I really did and I came to a conclusion…If the way I did things was wrong then tell me what I should do.”

“All right, but I have one condition.”

“Right now I’m not in a position to decline regardless of what you say but I want to know what that condition is.”

“Three years, stay in school three more years. You can pick up things faster than anyone I’ve seen but it feels like you don’t understand your limits completely. I’m just guessing here but I feel like you can’t keep up with yourself. Animals often die by overexerting themselves, that’s the appropriate way to put it. If you agree to listen to me you will probably think that things will go slow but I assure you that in the end it will be all right. So, what do you think?”

I did say that I will do what she says so I don’t really get why she asks me this. Well, truthfully speaking her idea isn’t bad and knowing Maria I bet that she had this in mind for some time. As I see it there’s no need to think that hard about it. I have no goal here, I am young and even if I were to graduate now there would be a lot of holes that I may not be able to fill and above all I’m still the only guardian Sya has and I have a feeling that leaving now after what happened would scar her…Oh what the hell, all my life I’ve trusted my instincts so I might as well do it again.

“OK, I’m in; just be ready to help me if I screw up.”

“Of course.” Maria answered with a smile on her face.

“I know that the order is screwed up but what am I going to learn in these three years?”

“You will continue your training with me and starting your sixth year you will be taught how to fight with a real weapon, a right given to special students, as well as some particularities for every subject you’ve studied so far…and as a gift from the headmistress I will also teach you some things about assassins, the underworld and thievery.”

Nice, I get to learn about the assassins. Well, I was in from the beginning but when I heard that I will get some info on them I got a little excited and it seems like I subconsciously let out a smile.

“If there’s something I can do to help you don’t hesitate to tell me and I will be there for you.”

“Very well Maria, I promise that from now on I will be bothering you a lot more.”

“There’s nothing else I could ask of you.”

I don’t know if I’m right or not but Maria’s vibe changed, it feels somewhat warm…Ha ha, maybe now I’m starting to see her real self, her kinder self.

Now that I have a goal my main problem is solved and I just need something to do to pass the time; maybe I will try writing a book about the demon language, it might turn out to be fun. Now I just need to explain some things to Sya.

“So Sya, did you understand anything from what you heard?”

“I did…part of it. I understood that you will not be leaving just yet which is enough for now. Then, until we graduate let’s do our best!” Said Sya cheerfully. Oh, what the hell…might as well go with the flow.

“Yeah, let’s give it our all!”